Court adjourns trial of 4 suspects arrested for JAMB registration malpractice in Ondo

A Federal High Court sitting in Akure has adjourned trial of four suspects arrested for registration impersonation and examination malpractices of Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) exam in Ondo State.

The registration impersonation suspects include Timilehin Akinwale, Olayinka Mustapha and Peter Okereke, while Feranmi Adesuyi was arraigned for examination impersonation.

According to the charge sheet, the first three defendants committed the impersonation act on Feb.15 at Aina Awaw International College, Ilu Abo, Akure, which was a CBT Centre for JAMB registration and examination.

“That you Okereke Peter (m), 29yrs, Akinwale Timilehin (m),22yrs and Mustapha Olayinka Idris (m), 23yrs on or about the 15th day of February, 2023 at Aina Awaw International College, Ilu Abo, a CBT Centre for JAMB Registration and Examination, Akure Ondo State.

“Within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did impersonate Folarin Damlok, Kazeem Imisi and Tijani Sheun respectively during CBT JAMB registration, contrary to Section 3(3)(c) of Examination Malpractice Act, Cap E15, LFN, 2004 and punishable under the same section.

“That you Feranmi Adesuyi (m), 29yrs, on or about the 28th day of April, 2023 at Amable Nig Ltd CBT center, Owo, during the 2023 JAMB Examination in Ondo State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire with one Sanusi Tunde, who is now at large, to complete his registration.

“And also impersonate the said Sanusi Tunde for the JAMB Exam and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 10 of Examination Malpractices Act, Cap E15, LFN, 2004 and punishable under Section 3(2)(c) of Examination Malpractice Act, Cap E15 Laws of Federation of Nigeria, 2004,” the charge sheet read in parts.

It said that the offense was contrary to section 3(3)(c) of Examination Malpractice Act, Cap E15, LFN, 2004 and punishable under the same section.

When the matter came up for hearing on Wednesday, an official of JAMB, Smith Ayodele, told the Court that Feranmi Adesuyi was arrested for examination impersonation.

According to her, Adesuyi committed the said offence on April 28 at Amable Nig. Ltd CBT Centre in Owo, during the 2023 JAMB examination.

Smith told the court that she served as Biometric Registration Officer at the Centre while testifying as a prosecution witness.

She said Feranmi, approached her to verify his thumb print before proceeding to write the examination but that the picture displayed from the thumb print was different from Feranmi.

“He was looking different from the picture uploaded in the JAMB portal. I questioned him and he said he was the same person on the picture.

“I asked him again and he repeated that he was the same person. After analysing everything, I asked him to step aside.

“I called other examination officers and personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps. They checked everything and tried questioning him. He later confessed that he was helping another candidate,” she said.

Also, the Prosecution Counsel from the NSCDC, Moses Osimhen, applied for a date to enable him call more witnesses.

The presiding Judge, Justice T. B. Adegoke, reserved ruling on the bail application by Counsel to Feranmi and said the date would be communicated to parties in the suit.

Adegoke also adjourned till November 13, ruling for trial and bail application for the three persons arrested for UTME registration impersonation.

Meanwhile, the suspects and their relatives broke down in tears when the judge announced the adjournment date as they had been remanded at the Olokuta Prison since May 24.